Mikey Madison has come a long way from starring in short films to becoming an Oscar-winning actress at just 25 years old.
Madison’s performance in the 2024 film Anora earned her the Best Actress in a Leading Role win at the 2025 Oscars on Sunday, March 2. “This is very surreal,” she began her acceptance speech. “Thank you so much to the Academy. I grew up in Los Angeles, but Hollywood always felt so far away from me. So, to be here standing in this room today is really incredible.”
In addition to thanking her family, the film’s cast and crew and her fellow nominees, Madison gave a shout-out to the “sex worker community,” stating, “I will continue to support and be an ally,” she stated. “All of the incredible people, the women that I’ve had the privilege of meeting from that community has been one of the highlights of this entire incredible experience.”
Anora follows the whirlwind love story between Ani (Madison), a stripper, and Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch. Her fairytale romance implodes as Vanya’s strict family threatens to end their marriage.
Actress Mikey Madison Thinks People Get ‘Everything’ Wrong About Strippers
Prior to Anora, Madison got her Hollywood start acting in short films in 2013 and 2014. After booking her first film role in 2017, the L.A. native continued to appear in projects such as Imposters, Nostalgia, Monsters and The Addams Family before booking her breakout film role in the 2019 Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood.
Scroll down to take a look back at Madison’s biggest roles before her big Oscars win:
‘Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey’ (2017)
After appearing in a handful of short films, Madison scored her first feature film role in 2015’s Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey. She stars as the film’s titular character, who sets off on a four-day motorcycle trip across California with her boyfriend, Brett (Sean H. Scully), before he moves to the East Coast.
‘Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood’ (2019)
Madison’s character, Sadie, met a gruesome end in the 2019 Tarantino film. Loosely based on the 1969 murder of Sharon Tate, Madison’s Manson Family member is severely injured and bloodied during a fight with Brad Pitt’s Cliff Booth before being finished off by Leonardo DiCaprio’s Rick Dalton with a flamethrower.
‘It Takes Three’ (2021)
Madison plays Kat in the 2021 rom-com, which puts a modern spin on the classic story of Cyrano de Bergerac. The film follows popular jock Chris (David Gridley) as he recruits the help of outcast Cy (Jared Gilman) to help him win over his crush, Roxy (Aurora Perrineau).
‘Scream’ (2022)
Madison cemented her place in horror movie history as one of the two killers in the fifth Scream installment. Much like her Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood character, Madison’s murderous Amber Freeman met a fiery demise at the hands of Courteney Cox’s Gale Weathers — only to be finished off by Jenna Ortega’s Tara Carpenter.
‘Better Things’ (2016-2022)
The FX family drama, which ran for five seasons from 2016 to 2022, marked one of Madison’s most prominent roles to date. The series followed the ups and downs of Sam Fox (played by series creator Pamela Adlon), a divorced actress juggling her career while raising her three kids — played by Madison, Hannah Alligood and Olivia Edward — as a single mother.
‘All Souls’ (2023)
In All Souls, Madison plays a young single mother who is tasked by police to help take down her drug-dealing ex, played by G-Eazy. After her cover is blown, she sets off on a dangerous mission to rescue her kidnapped daughter.
‘Lady in the Lake’ (2024)
Madison starred alongside Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram in the Apple TV+ thriller miniseries. Her character, Judith Weinstein, helps Maddie Schwartz (Portman) in her investigation into the mysterious deaths of Tessie Durst (Bianca Belle) and Cleo Sherwood (Ingram).
